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Sinanan: Maracas upgrade to end by August

The Maracas Bay upgrade should be completed by the end of August and there are now options to eliminate the services of one of the Tobago cargo vessels, says Works Minister Rohan Sinanan.

Sinanan gave the updates during the Senate’s debate of a variation motion. Debate which began at 1.30 pm on Monday ended at 2. 42 am yesterday.

Giving updates on matters in his ministry, Sinanan said the Port Board had informed him earlier that night that they have options for his ministry to eliminate the services of one of the cargo vessels being used on the Tobago ferry service.

Problems have been reported with the adequacy of the two cargo vessels.

Sinanan, who vowed to deal with Tobago’s transport problems “once and for all,” said consultants have also been engaged for the proposed fast ferry port from Toco to Tobago. Designs for this are underway.

The Maracas Bay upgrade’s cost was reduced from $200 million under the past administration to $60 million under the PNM Government, Sinanan added .

Now in train, he said, the project should be completed at the end of August.

With the rainy season coming on, he said drainage projects included the Diego Martin and Maraval rivers. Water course clearance and de-silting will also be done nation-wide. Saying the “entire East-West corridor had been neglected – we intend to clean it up,” he added.

Sinanan said the ministry is currently examining route alignment for the proposed Port-of -Spain to Chaguaramas highway.

The Valencia to Toco highway project will also begin in 2018. Tenders are out for this.

Tenders will also be issued by month-end for the planned Wallerfield highway. The Moruga highway will start in the current fiscal year. Tenders will close on June 7 for the Curepe Interchange. Consultants have been engaged for the Diego Martin overpass.

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